The present invention relates to an apparatus for detecting operational anomalies in a pressurized fluid circuit, more particularly in a fuel or oil feed circuit wherein a main pressure pump is supplied by a booster pump through a filter.
It is well known in the art that high pressure fluid pumps are susceptible to cavitation which occurs when fluid flow into the high pressure pump inlet is inadequate. In order for a high pressure pump to operate optimally and remain in good condition, it must be supplied with fluid at a sufficiently high pressure. Accordingly, such systems incorporating high pressure pumps typically have a booster pump to deliver the fluid at a boosted pressure higher than a critical value into the inlet of the high pressure pump and to also include a filter in the circuit between the booster pump and the high pressure pump.
A number of different devices are available to check on the condition of the filter, such devices typically detecting the pressure drop between the inlet and the outlet of the filter to determine the condition of the filter. Furthermore, known devices are available to check the operating condition of a booster pump such that any failure of the booster pump may be remedied by using an auxiliary fluid source.
However, the various known devices are dedicated to monitoring and detecting anomalies in only one of the components of the pressurized fluid circuit of the main pump and do not allow the simultaneous monitoring of the condition of both the booster pump and the filter. Such simultaneous monitoring can be carried out only by using two independent monitoring systems which increase the complexity and the mass of the high pressure fluid circuit.